Telcos back rules on shared fiber conduits

MANILA, Phiippines — The head of a Philippine telecommunications group has backed proposed rules that would require telco and utility operators to share common underground conduits when installing fiber infrastructure.

Froi Castelo, president of the Philippine Chamber of Telecommunications Operators, said in a statement the proposed rules could make fiber deployment more efficient nationwide.

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The Private Sector Advisory Council has presented the proposal to President Marcos.

“A common policy for shared use of underground conduit infrastructure will give the industry a common framework for planning, deployment and long-term management,” said Castelo, who also serves as general counsel of Globe Telecom Inc.

“Clear governance and consistent national standards will accelerate network rollouts, improve resilience to service disruptions and optimize investments that ultimately benefit consumers and the country’s digital economy,” he added.

Under the proposal, a conduit along national roads and public rights-of-way would be dug just once and shared by all qualified operators.

This is also meant to accelerate fiber rollouts by reducing the need for telcos to repeatedly secure permits and reopen roads whenever new infrastructure is installed.

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The proposal aligns with the Dig Once Policy under Section 17 of the Konektadong Pinoy Act.

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Globe said the proposed rules could also support the industry’s shift toward underground cables, which are less exposed to fiber cuts and theft that cost telco operators millions of pesos each year and could disrupt services to subscribers.

In 2025, the Ayala-backed telco recorded 14,000 fiber-cut incidents, which it said could result from natural disasters, accidental cuts or theft.

“A unified underground conduit framework can help the country build networks that are more resilient and better equipped to support the Philippines’ growing digital economy,” said Joel Agustin, Globe’s senior vice president for service planning and engineering.

Globe said it has so far installed 1,500 kilometers of underground fiber facilities. INQ